Ethical hat brand KuSan has joined forces with pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research to help raise funds to support vital research into the disease.

After losing several members of their family to brain tumours, KuSan founders Kurt & Sandra Fritzsch were inspired to design two special edition bobble hats and a selection of hat-themed key rings.

A percentage of sales from each hat and all proceeds from the keyrings will go towards funding research at a network of Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence, where leading scientists are working to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

KuSan prides itself on supporting small businesses and community groups and their products are handmade in Nepal from New Zealand wool.

Sandra said: "Our charity efforts have mostly concentrated on Nepal but we wanted to do something closer to home. Our partnership with Brain Tumour Research is particularly close to our hearts. Over the years we've lost several close family members to brain tumours, so being able to contribute to the ongoing research to fight this devastating disease is really important to us. Not only do I hope that the hats bring pleasure to the wearer, but that they also raise awareness of a disease that affects so many people and their families each year."

Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone, at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

The KuSan Brain Tumour Research bobble hat will be available to purchase from September 2018.

The KuSan Brain Tumour Research bobble hat key ring is available now for a recommended donation of £5 https://www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/merchandise

For further information, please contact:
Lexie Jenkins at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867222 or 07591 206545 or Lexie.Jenkins@braintumourresearch.org

Notes to Editors

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.

We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in 2018.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• They kill more children than leukaemia
• They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
• They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
• In the UK 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Incidences of, and deaths from, brain tumours are increasing.

Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.